08 August 2022

Faecal incontinence has a huge impact on patient quality of life. Despite this, it can take many years for patients to open up and admit to friends, relatives or healthcare professionals that they are suffering. This article reviews the latest research and highlights the need for sensitive and supportive consultations with this patient group.   

01 May 2026

Ella Oakey, Clinical Continence Nurse Specialist, B Braun Medical Ltd 
 
Intermittent self-catheterisation can empower patients to regain control of their bladder, but it has a broad range of impacts on patients’ quality of life. Ella Oakey looks at the evidence for these and discusses how they affect more than just clinical outcomes.

04 October 2021

Continence is not a life-threatening condition but does affect patient quality of life. The first part in this new continence clinical skills series explores continence issues and how to improve patient care. It looks at the prevalence of the condition, different types of continence issues, how they can affect quality of life and the complications that can occur when poorly managed.

04 June 2020

Urinary incontinence (UI) has been associated with chronic respiratory symptoms, which impact on patient quality of life (da Silva Paes et al, 2016). Chronic respiratory symptoms, such as coughing, wheezing, and dyspnoea, and patients with chronic chest conditions, such as asthma, bronchitis or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), are associated with increased occurrence of UI. Women with respiratory symptoms have more severe symptoms and are more likely to have stress urinary leakage than those without. This paper provides an overview of asthma, and highlights the importance of community nurses not only addressing issues associated with respiratory diseases, such as ensuring that there is a personalised asthma action plan (PAAP) in place for those with asthma, but also assessing urinary incontinence to evaluate occurrence and decide upon measures that can be taken to prevent or lessen any leakage.